Cancer Cells That Act Like Viruses

Most cancers stay inside one host, but some rare types are actually contagious. These unique cancer cells can physically jump between animals, spreading like an infection without needing a virus to carry them.

While cancer is usually not considered a communicable disease, a few specific types have evolved to become transmissible through direct contact. In species like Tasmanian devils, these cancerous cells move between individuals during biting, essentially acting as an infectious parasite. This is a rare and fascinating evolutionary path where a host body becomes a vessel for another individual's mutant cells. Scientists study these cases to better understand how cancer cells survive and adapt outside their original home.